On the other hand, the tourists who were visiting the Keys didn’t seem to have any trouble scoping out and devouring fast food, desserts, snacks and whipped, sweetened coffee drinks that proved too tempting to resist.

A few weeks ago, Migden introduced a menu labeling bill that would require warning labels to remind us that food contains calories. Indeed, this is true. And do you know that bill passed the State Senate? This is how tax dollars are being spent.

Now, if Senator Migden were standing along side me on Duval Street last week, she would have seen how ineffective her bill would be if implemented; consumers will just turn a blind eye.

As a Registered Dietitian with a private practice, I know the key to weight loss is behavioral. Of course, knowledge is power, but application of that insight is what yields success. Americans are already overwhelmed with nutrition and health information. Access to food facts is unprecedented through websites, toll-free numbers, health care providers and the media. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually on diet books. Yet, Americans’ expanding waistlines seem to be keeping pace with the availability of nutrition information.

We need menu labeling like we need tax breaks for vegetarians. And we don’t need politicians legislating solutions for health and well being. We need exercise, a little motivation and a lot more self-discipline.

Reader Interactions

Comments

On this subject, I take the view that more information is better. Sure, many consumers will turn a blind eye – those are the ones that will never look at the warning signs (shortness of breath on steps, bulging over belts, etc.) unless a life-threatening health issue arises (stroke, heart attack, diabetes, etc.). On the other hand, many consumers are clueless on the calorie content of specific foods they order. When presented with the array of food and their calorie contents, they just may change their food choice, or be embarrassed in their choice when eating with friends or co-workers.
I don’t appreciate being legislated to death when people should have the right to choice, but on this one the current voluntary nutrition labeling of foods is truly worthless – mouse-type on McDonald’s wrappers is a bad joke. I would like to see a meaningful regulation that had been well thought through for implementation – where consumers can really see, compare and make more intelligent decisions. This is not an easy task, but it will make fast food companies and restaurants, as well as consumers take notice of what they are serving and eating.